As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,278 (Stahly et al.), it is known that 2-(fluoronitrobenzene)acetonitriles are useful for preparing flurbiprofen and related compounds and that the acetonitriles may be prepared by reacting a fluoronitrobenzene with an alpha-substituted alkyl cyanide in a substantially anhydrous aprotic solvent and in the presence of a base. Stahly et al. also teach that their reaction tends to be highly selective on the para positions of their fluoronitrobenzenes, and their Examples illustrate that selectivity.
There are pharmaceuticals and other materials which it is logical to believe could be formed from 2-(fluoronitrobenzene)acetonitriles having the acetonitrile substituent in a position ortho to the nitro substituent. It would therefore be desirable to find a way of modifying the Stahly et al. processes so as to make it possible to prepare such compounds.